Young Love
by your-arms-around-me
Summary: David and Regina have known each other their whole lives, but just when he acts on his feelings toward her, she's forced into a marriage she never wanted. FTL AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Some important tidbits:**

**Cora doesn't rip hearts out.**

**Regina and David are 18. Snow is 14.**

**Daniel is not the stable boy.**

* * *

"Regina!" He jogged across the field to where the young woman sat on her horse. Her hair was pulled back in its usual French braid and she was wearing one of her blue riding ensembles.

She smiled at him. "Hello, David," she said as he approached. "How are you today?"

He shrugged. "Can't complain," he said.

She looked at him quizzically after a moment of silence. "Was there something you needed to talk to me about?"

A look of surprise appeared on his face. He suddenly couldn't remember why he'd come to talk to her. That was happening a lot lately. Regina and David had been neighbors their entire lives. Cora didn't approve of the shepherd as a suitable friend for Regina, but as long as he was just a friend, he was harmless. David had always enjoyed her company, but recently, he'd started to find himself speechless when he spoke to her. She had turned eighteen three weeks ago, and adulthood agreed with her. He was discovering just how beautiful she was.

"David?" Regina asked, hopping off her horse and snapping him out of his daydream. "Is everything okay? You've seemed a little distracted lately."

"Oh!" He said, blushing. "What are you doing tonight?" He asked, trying to find an excuse for coming over to talk to her.

She exhaled. "Unfortunately, mother has lined up some sort of event for me to attend. She's trying to marry me off to some rich prince or something." He could tell she was only sort of joking, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes. "Hey," she said, the light returning to her brown orbs. "Why don't you come with me?"

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah!" Her eyes widened in excitement. "It would be so much fun if you were there! We could make fun of all the jerks she tries to set me up with," she said, doing her best to persuade him.

"Oh, Regina, I don't have anything to wear," he said.

"You can wear something of my brother's," she insisted. He was about to say no again when her hands grabbed his. "_Please_!"

His heartbeat raced at the contact. He was barely able to form words. "Your mother will be okay with it?" He asked.

"No," she said with a smirk. "But that's what makes it so fun," she teased, giving him a little punch to the shoulder.

Every little bit of contact she made with him made his heart beat a little faster. "Okay," he said, his mouth a bit dry.

She smiled widely and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much, David!" She released him and smiled. "It would seriously be unbearable without you." He nodded, relieved she hadn't felt his racing heart when she hugged him. "Come over around four and we'll get you ready to go, okay?"

"Sounds great," he told her.

She smiled at him and easily mounted her horse. "See you at four," she said, lightly prodding Rocinante along.

He watched as she made her way back to her house before quickly returning to his own.

"You look like you had a good day," Ruth said as her son entered the house.

"It was fine," he said, trying to hide his excitement about the day's events. "Regina asked me to go to an event with her tonight," he said innocently.

"Ah," she said as she returned to her cleaning. "So that's why you're grinning like a dope." His mother was excellent at reading him. She'd figured out early on that her son had feelings for the girl across the field. "Knowing Cora, it must be something fancy." And knowing Cora, it must be something to set up her daughter with a _proper _suitor. "Are you prepared for it?"

"Regina offered to lend me something of her brother's to wear tonight."

"Well that's one thing," she said. "But we should probably give you a haircut and shave, too."

As Ruth trimmed her son's hair to a reasonable length, she couldn't help but feel serious concern for him. "David," she said.

"Yes, mother?"

"I know how much you like this girl—"

"_Mother_," he said, trying to stop her. He didn't want to talk about his feelings when he wasn't even sure what was going on.

"Just…be careful," she said. "Cora is very particular about Regina's suitors."

"I'm just going with her as a friend," he insisted.

She cut the last bit and dusted the loose hair off his head. "We both know that isn't true."

* * *

David stood in the foyer waiting for Regina to finish getting ready. He felt very out of place in Thomas' clothes. They seemed to be the kind of clothes a royal would wear, far more expensive than anything he'd ever seen. The pants were far tighter than the ones he was used to wearing as a shepherd, too.

He heard the clicking of heels from upstairs and looked up. Moving to descend the stairs was Regina, clad in a deep purple ball gown that clung to her torso before poufing out around her legs. Her ebony hair was parted deep to one side and the loose curls cascaded past her shoulders, ending around her breasts.

He realized he'd been holding his breath as she came down the stairs, and he made the conscious effort to inhale and exhale. She arrived on the main level and quickly moved toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug again. He gently placed his hands on the small of her back, pulling her to him just a bit more.

"Thank you so much for agreeing to this," she said, releasing her hold on him. "You're such a great friend."

He looked into her dark brown eyes. They sparkled as she expressed her appreciation for him. "It's no problem at all."

"I like your hair," she said, running her fingers through it. "It's really short," she observed.

"Thanks," he said. "I figured scruffy wouldn't be right for this occasion."

"I'm really sorry about the attire. Unfortunately it's a very formal event."

"It's fine," he said.

"No, really, I know it's not comfortable."

"It can't possibly be worse than whatever shoes you're wearing," he said, noting her change in height. She usually stood over half a foot shorter than him, but now she stood several inches taller than usual.

She grimaced. "I would much rather be in riding boots," she said. "But mother insists."

"Where _is _your mother?" He asked.

"She and daddy already left. She needed to go help with final preparations. So it will just be you and me for now." She leaned forward a bit, lowering her voice. "You're much better company anyway." She winked and his heart skipped a beat. He followed her out to the waiting carriage.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: The reception to the first chapter was so great that I thought I'd go ahead and post the next one. Enjoy!**

* * *

Regina leaned against David by the wall of the ballroom. King Leopold certainly knew how to throw a party. Unfortunately, it was not one the two eighteen-year-olds wanted to attend. She had just finished dancing with one of the many men her mother approved of.

"So what did you think of that one?" He asked.

"His breath smelled like onion," she said, wrinkling her nose as she looked at him. "Not an attractive quality."

"Yeah, he seemed like he was kind of a jerk," he said, though he had no means of knowing that.

"Not as bad as the one who kept grabbing my backside, though," she said.

He clenched his jaw, remembering the one particularly handsy suitor that had angered him so much. She didn't deserve to be treated like a piece of meat. "Thanks for coming with me," she said, leaning her head against the wall and smiling at him. She squeezed his hand, but immediately released when she saw her mother walking toward them.

"Regina, it is not ladylike to slouch like that. Stop being such a wallflower," she insisted.

"Mother, I just danced to five consecutive songs with gentlemen of your liking. I would really like to rest for just one moment while the swelling goes down in my feet," Regina responded.

Her pleading was ignored as Cora took her by the wrist and led her to another young man with brown hair. He was tall, easily over six feet. David watched them dance around the floor. For a woman who hated these events, she was very light on her feet. She moved flawlessly about the floor, even with the clumsiest of partners, though this one was able to keep up with her. She was stunning, and he wanted nothing more than to be out there dancing with her in his arms.

When the song ended, she made her way back toward David, who was now sitting at a table off to the side of the dance floor. She exhaustedly sat beside him.

David chuckled as he watched her, and he couldn't help but notice the little bounce of her breasts as her bottom hit the chair. "So I assume that one wasn't any better?" He asked, taking a seat on the floor beside her.

"Oh, no," she said. "Daniel was actually quite the gentleman. He has even less desire to be here than I do."

"I didn't realize that was at all possible," he joked. She placed a hand on his thigh and gently squeezed, thanking him for the third time. He nodded.

"What about that girl you keep talking to?" She asked innocently, having noticed another brunette approach David multiple times throughout the night.

"Oh, the princess," he said exasperatedly. "She's…persistent. Keeps calling me _Charming_."

"That's a nice compliment."

"No, it's like she thinks that's my name," he said, causing her to laugh.

"That would be incredibly pretentious," she said.

"Plus I think she's only fourteen." This caused them to laugh even louder. Her eyes squeezed shut as she snickered about the poor girl. He kept his eyes on her as they laughed together. He loved when she laughed. It was a beautiful sound.

David then noticed Cora across the room. She wasn't looking, but he knew it was only a matter of seconds. He stood, and in an exaggerated fashion, he offered Regina his hand. "May I have this dance?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"

Through a smile, he said, "It's that or be set up with the guy your mother is currently talking to," he said just as Cora noticed them. She began to move, but it was too late. Regina and David had already made their way to the crowd of dancing couples.

* * *

"M'lady," he said, offering his hand.

Regina laughed as David helped her from the carriage. "Thank you, kind sir," she said teasingly. They linked arms as they made their way to the house. As soon as they were inside, Regina kicked off her shoes with a grateful sigh, returning to her natural height. Her curls had fallen due to all the dancing, but she was still stunning. He couldn't help but stare at her.

"David?" She said, calling him back. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling at her. "You just look beautiful," he told her.

She smiled shyly. "You look pretty great, yourself," she said, pushing his shoulder playfully. He wanted so badly to kiss her. She looked absolutely gorgeous. They had actually had fun at the party. But before he could work up the courage, her parents walked in.

"Regina, it's not proper to kick your shoes off wherever you please," Cora said, completely ignoring David. The young woman scurried to pick up her heels from the floor as her mother led her to her room to change and undoubtedly scold her from her behavior during the night. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him again before turning to half-listen to her mother.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This is another fairly short chapter, but they'll get longer soon. Enjoy!**

* * *

David walked in the direction of Regina's house. At his request, she was going to teach him how to ride a horse. He needed some kind of excuse to see her more. He found himself thinking about her all the time, remembering the night at the party. The way her body felt pressed against his as they made their way around the dance floor was unforgettable, and he had been sad when it ended. He wanted to see her all the time.

As he approached the house, he noticed an unfamiliar carriage leaving. Regina was left standing in front of the house, waving goodbye. He smiled at the sight of her. She was wearing a dress her mother had obviously chosen for her. It was pale yellow and hung off the shoulders. After a moment, she noticed David making his way toward her. She smiled at him and waved excitedly. "Ready for your first lesson?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"You're not going to teach me how to ride while wearing that, are you?" He teased.

She laughed. "Of course not. Come on in. I'll only be a few minutes."

About five minutes later, she was exiting her room and making her way down to meet him. She wore light brown riding pants with a white shirt and a deep red coat that accentuated her small waist and womanly curves. Her hair was in a single braid down the back of her neck and she wore brown boots. David had a hard time finding his breath. "Let's go," she said, linking her arm through his and leading him to the stables.

* * *

"You're pretty good at this," she said as they trotted down the field on their horses.

"Thanks," he said, smiling at her. "You're a pretty good teacher." He was pleased when she smiled, flattered by his remark. "Uh, Regina, who was that carriage for this morning?"

She pursed her lips slightly. "Remember Daniel?"

"The guy from the ball?"

"That's the one. He stopped by because he wants to court me."

David felt his heart start pounding. "What did you say?" He asked, trying to sound cooler than he felt.

"I said yes," she told him simply. "He's nice enough, and it will get mother off my back for a while." She looked over at him, noticing his downcast face. "David? Is everything alright?" She found herself asking this question a lot lately. It seemed like there was always something weighing on the shepherd's mind.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he said, correcting his expression.

She looked away from him, gazing straight ahead. "David, we've been friends since we were babies," she said. "Since that day I somehow managed to crawl out my door all the way to your house, we have been close. We have no secrets." Regina paused, bringing her horse to a stop right next to him. He followed her lead. "Why do I get the feeling you're keeping a secret from me?" She asked.

He had the incredible urge to close the distance between them. To take her in his arms and kiss her. He wanted to feel her lips moving against his, to hold her close to him, to feel her heart racing like his did every time he laid eyes on her.

"Everything's good," he lied.

She eyed him skeptically before deciding that he wasn't going to budge. "Fine," she said, still not believing him. But she would find out what was going on. He wouldn't be able to keep a secret too long.

* * *

_A month later_

Daniel had been courting Regina since that night at the King's. She was actually enjoying herself with him. He was kind, unselfish, and unlike any of the other "proper" gentlemen her mother had tried to set her up with. She was actually beginning to develop feelings for him. They had kissed a few times, and she was surprised to find she liked it.

"So how are things going with Daniel?" David asked casually as he brushed his horse's mane. His feelings for Regina had not diminished in the last month. If anything they had multiplied. He was getting better at stifling them though.

"They're okay," she lied.

"Just okay?"

She didn't know why she had felt the need to lie to him about it. It just seemed like every time she brought up Daniel, David's guard flew up. It was as if he didn't _want _to hear about him.

"Actually, things are going very well," she corrected, leading her horse into its stall. "He really is a gentleman. He's not completely full of himself like the other men my mother tries to set me up with."

David led his horse into its stall. "Have you…kissed him?"

She moved toward him, leaning on the door. "Yes, dear. We've kissed. Why does that matter?"

"Do you think you're going to marry him?"

Regina did a double-take. "Are you serious?" He nodded as if his was the most obvious question in the world. "David, I've only been seeing him for a month. It's going to be a little while before that's on the table."

"Well, knowing your mother, she'll try to rush you into it, and you'll do what she wants just like you always do because you want her approval so badly." He didn't even care what he sounded like in the moment.

"That's not fair!" She shouted, tears forming in her eyes as she left the stables, not wanting to upset the horses with her yelling.

"Do you love him?"

"David, what is wrong with you?" She cried as she stepped onto the grass. "I've only been seeing him for a month. We have kissed a total of four times, not that it's really your business, and no, I'm not in love with him at the moment and I don't plan on marrying him any time soon, so would you just stop with the interrogation?"

David was silent. Tears had run down her cheeks and dripped from her jawline, hitting the dirt beneath her feet. He moved closer to her. She moved to back away, but he took her face in his hands, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. "I'm sorry, Regina," he said, his blue eyes piercing into her brown ones. "I guess I just feel really protective of you. I want to make sure you're doing what is going to be best for you."

"Why doesn't anyone think I can decide what's best for me?" She asked through her tears.

"I believe you can," he said with a smile. "You are smart, funny, beautiful…" his voice trailed off for a moment. "You're perfectly capable of making your own decisions. I just want to be there for you in any way I can."

She wrapped her arms around his midsection and rested her head on his chest. "Thank you, David." He returned her embrace, doing everything in his power to hold back the tears stinging his eyes.

* * *

**Please let me know what you think! **


	4. Chapter 4

**This one's short, but you'll like it, I promise. Thanks to everyone who has posted reviews! Happy Valentine's Day!**

* * *

"Hey, you."

David turned from the sheep to find Regina leaning against the fence that held the sheep. A smile crossed his face involuntarily. "Hey, stranger," he said.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around very much this week," she said. "I had to go off to Daniel's kingdom. Meet the family and such."

His heart ached at the idea that she could possibly marry this man and be taken away from him forever, but he had gotten used to hiding his feelings during her courtship with the prince. Cora would never approve of Regina marrying a shepherd. And despite the many occasions upon which she rebelled, Regina desperately wanted her mother's approval.

"So I assume things are going well," he said, forcing the smile to remain on his face.

"Fast," she said brusquely. At his confused look, she elaborated. "Things are moving very fast with Daniel. It's only been five weeks." She fiddled with her fingers.

David furrowed his brow. "Regina, what's wrong?"

"He says he loves me…" She looked up at him, tears filling her eyes. "But I don't love him," she said, the tears falling from her eyes as she stumbled toward him, seeking comfort in his strong arms.

"You said that Daniel is an unselfish person. I'm sure he'll understand. Certainly he doesn't want to marry someone who doesn't love him."

"But if I end things now, Cora will be furious! And even if I tell her Daniel ended it, she'll be disappointed. It will be _my _fault for not being good enough for a prince."

"Regina, listen to me," he said into her hair. "You are a strong woman. And you are going to get through this." He hugged her a little tighter, trying to calm the sobbing woman.

Regina cried into his chest, reveling in the warmth his body offered in the coldness of her life. They stayed there for a moment as he stroked her hair, trying to calm her sobbing. She eventually stopped shaking and pulled away just enough to look up at him.

David gazed into her eyes, and then he knew he couldn't hold it in anymore. He gently took her face in his hands, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip. Then he placed a light kiss on her mouth. It took a second, but after getting past the initial surprise, she moved her mouth slowly against his, melting into him.

After a moment, she abruptly pulled away from him, her eyes wide. "I-I have to go," she said quickly. She ran off, leaving him frozen, his arms empty but a smile on his face.

* * *

Regina sat on her bed, her legs tucked up at her chest, reliving the events of the previous day.

_David kissed me. _

Finally, after all this time, he'd made his move. She never expected him to work up the courage. But he did… and it was wonderful. Just the thought of the kiss they shared set her heart aflutter.

_But I'm supposed to be with Daniel. _Daniel was a wonderful man, too. He was strong, kind, and unselfish. And her mother completely approved.

But he didn't make her tremble when he kissed her. His gaze didn't make her weak in the knees. His touch didn't send shivers down her spine.

Her mind went back to that night at the palace…

_David pulled Regina with him as they both laughed, knowing that Cora would never dare make a scene in the middle of the ballroom. He put a hand on her back and held her hand with his other. _

_As they spun around the dance floor, Regina laughed with him. It was the first time she'd had fun at one of these events. She was so grateful for his company. Her mother had never understood that Regina just wanted to be free. She wanted to run around and ride horses. She wanted to be free to do as she pleased. She wanted to fall in love someday. Cora couldn't fathom the idea of marrying for love instead of status, but it didn't stop Regina from dreaming about it from time to time. She imagined that someday a man would fly her off her feet and take her away where they could be free to love each other for the rest of their lives._

_When the music slowed, she moved to pull away, but he brought her back, placing his hand on the small of her back. Regina looked up into his sparkling blue eyes before she leaned her head on his shoulder as they continued to sway._

_She felt safe._

Regina's mind returned to her current situation. She had to see David.

* * *

Regina quickly made her way to the neighboring house. The shepherd stood by the gate where he'd kissed her just the day before. He looked up to the blue sky and closed his eyes, breathing in the fresh air. That was when she knew. She could feel her heart start to race as she watched him. Her mouth was dry and her palms sweaty. She stepped toward him.

Her shoulder grazed against his, making her heart flutter even more. "It's a beautiful day."

"Yes, it is," he replied. "Regina, I'm really sorry about yesterday."

"David—"

"I was a jerk." She stopped speaking. "You were hurting. You wanted someone to comfort you and I—"

He was silenced when her lips met his. The familiar blend of apples and sugar flooded his senses as their mouths moved together. He closed his arms around her, pulling her flush to him.

They say that when you look forward to something so much, the actual event can never measure up to your expectations. But as David stood there, holding her while her hands pulled him by the shirt to deepen the kiss, he realized the feeling of her body pressed against his surpassed any fantasy he could have ever created.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry this chapter took a while! I wanted to make it a bit longer than the previous ones. Thanks to those of you who have reviewed so far!**

* * *

It had been a few days since they began their new relationship, and David couldn't have been happier. Having the chance to hold her and kiss her instead of having to bury his feelings was amazing.

They lay on the grass together in the field on the opposite side of his house from hers. It was a warm, sunny day, and his fingers were intertwined with hers. He played with her fingers as he looked at her. She was on her back, eyes closed as she basked in the warmth of the sun.

David brought her hand up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on the back of it. A small smile crept to her mouth at the contact and she slowly opened her eyes, taking in the sight of the man next to her. "You're staring," she lightly pointed out.

A smile covered his face, lighting up his eyes. "I can't help it! You're just so beautiful that I never want to take my eyes off you." With that, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, kissing her as she giggled.

She rested her hand on his chest, drawing little circles on the skin where his shirt opened. "So," she said. "When was it that you decided I was completely irresistible?" She teased.

He laughed. "The day you came back from visiting your uncle."

"How specific," she said, resting her chin on his chest so she could look at him as he told her the story.

* * *

_David herded the last of the sheep at three o'clock. He looked out across the landscape. He'd always loved his home. The green grass and expansive blue skies were beautiful. It had always just been him and his mom, Ruth, and he was really happy with his life._

_He closed the sheep pen and stood next to it, looking across the landscape when he saw Rocinante cantering toward him, Regina on his back. A few moments later, they were beside him and Regina hopped off the horse before giving him a big hug._

_"Hey," he laughed. "How was the trip?"_

_"Eh," she shrugged. "It was alright. It's always a bit tricky to maneuver around Uncle Midas," she said. "But I got to visit with Abigail, which was fun."_

_They walked around for a bit while Regina told him stories of the trip. She smiled the whole time, but it never truly met her eyes. "I really missed daddy, though," she said._

_David had spent some time with Henry while Regina had been away. "He missed you too," he said. _

_The sun was beginning to set as they walked back to Rocinante, who was grazing. "I'll see you tomorrow, David," she said, turning to him._

_Just then, the way the orange-pink light of the sunset hit her face, she looked as though she was glowing. Her dark eyes sparkled as she smiled. His heart beat faster in his chest, and the thought came to his head…_

* * *

"She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," David finished.

She smiled and nuzzled into his chest, prompting him to hug her tighter. "You're pretty attractive, yourself," she said.

"David!" Ruth called from the house. Regina and David sat up and turned toward his mother, who was moving toward him. "Will Regina be staying for dinner?"

He looked at the girl to see what her answer would be. "I'd love to," she said with a smile. Ruth smiled back and patted her son on the head before making her way back inside.

"You can really stay?" He asked, lying back down and extending his arm to hold her once more.

"I can," she said. "Mother and daddy have some dinner party they have to go to."

"And you don't have to go?"

She suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well, Daniel can't, and mother doesn't think it would be appropriate for me to go without my escort," she said.

David winced at the mention of the prince. He knew Regina didn't care for Daniel like she did for him, but the fact that Daniel would be kissing her and holding her sickened his heart. "You still haven't found a way to get out of this?" He asked gently.

"Unfortunately not. No matter what happens, Cora will be furious with me." She noted the sad look on his face. "But I'm not giving up," she said, scooting up to place a gentle kiss on his lips again.

He couldn't help but smile at the contact. He pulled her closer. "You're worth the wait," he murmured.

* * *

"That was delicious," Regina said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. "Thank you so much for having me for dinner, Ruth." David's mother had always insisted that Regina call her by her first name. She had a special affection for the girl who reminded her so much of her young self. The girl had such a desire to be free, much like the older woman always did.

"Oh, Regina, any time," she said with a smile. "Besides, if you weren't here, I'd still be hearing about you constantly from David." She winked at her son.

"Mom!" David blushed as Regina giggled at the remark.

"He's completely smitten," Ruth said, ignoring her son's pleas.

"Well, I'm pretty smitten with him, myself," she said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek as she stood to clear the plates.

"Oh, no, Regina, you are a guest. You will not be doing with the dishes."

"Please let me help," Regina said, picking up a plate. "I am never allowed to be helpful at home." She looked at the woman with puppy dog eyes.

Ruth huffed. "Alright, Regina." The girl smiled brightly and moved the dishes to the kitchen. David's mother sat at the table. "David, I need to talk to you about this."

"Mother—"

"No, please listen to me." She looked toward the kitchen, where Regina had put the dishes in the washtub and was scrubbing them and humming to herself. "That girl in there is extremely unhappy with her life. As much as Cora loves her, she doesn't always show it in the best ways."

"I know this, mother. She's been my best friend since we were babies."

"David." She took her son's hand in both of hers. "I love you very much. You are my life." She squeezed his hand. "But if you hurt that girl, I will never forgive you."

David smiled and stood, kissing her on the forehead. "You don't have to worry about that." He looked to the kitchen at the same moment Regina happened to look at him. They exchanged a happy smile before turning back to their subjects. "I don't plan on ever doing anything but loving her."

Ruth raised her eyebrows, surprised by David's word choice. "Already?" She asked. "Have you told her?"

"No, of course not. It's only been a week." Again, he looked toward Regina, who was elbow deep in dishwater, and then he turned back to Ruth. "But I love her. I think part of me has always loved her. Ever since we were kids. There was that one summer I told her she had cooties and I would always run away from her. Then one day she got really upset about it, and she sat down crying. So I went over to her and hugged her and apologized. I told her, 'You're my best friend. If you had the plague, I'd make myself get it just so we didn't ever have to be apart.' She stopped crying then and started running, making me chase her all over the field. She's my best friend in the world. Of course I love her."

Ruth's mouth formed a small smile at the almost decade old memory. She couldn't believe he remembered that day. "Go see your girlfriend. I'm going to get some sleep," she said.

He kissed her goodnight and she made her way to her bedroom. He looked at Regina, who was focused on scrubbing a particularly stubborn spot on a plate. He came up and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her hair. "Hello, dear," she said, leaning into him a bit.

"Hello, beautiful."

She smiled at the sound of his voice. "Ruth go to bed?" She asked, looking toward the table where they had just eaten.

"Yeah," he said. "She was tired."

She dried the plate and put it on the counter before spinning in his arms to kiss him. "Thank you for having me for dinner," she said.

"Well actually I wanted to get as far away from you as possible, but my mother insisted," he teased. She playfully hit his chest as he laughed at her mock offense. He kissed her again, and they both giggled through the contact, unable to control their laughter.

"I should probably go," she said, her forehead still resting on his.

"You probably should," he responded, his body contradicting his words as he pulled her closer.

"My parents will be home soon," she murmured.

"Yes, they will." He captured her lips hungrily in his, pushing her against the counter. Her hands on the back of his neck, she pulled him closer.

"God," Regina moaned, her head falling back as his mouth moved to her neck. "David," she whispered. "I really need—" He cut her off, pressing his mouth to hers again.

He pulled back from her. "I know. You have to leave," he pouted.

She laughed at his fake childishness. "Don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow," she promised. "Have a good night, dear." She kissed him one more time and strode out of the house, making it home just a few minutes before her parents.

* * *

**Please let me know your thoughts! Feedback is amazing! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it took a while to get this chapter up. Writer's block. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hi, Daddy!" Regina ran to her father to greet him.

"Regina, it's not ladylike to run," Cora said sternly as she entered behind Henry, pulling her gloves off her hands.

Regina put an apologetic face on and slowed her stride. When she reached her father, she hugged him happily. She and her father were very close. He understood her desire to be free and to marry someone she loved. All he wanted was her happiness.

She finally pulled away and moved to greet her mother with an impersonal kiss on the cheek. "Tomorrow you are to go to the king's ball with Daniel," Cora said with a smile.

Regina tried to hide the sadness threatening to come through on her face. "Alright, mother."

Cora smiled genuinely and took her daughter's face in her hands. "I am so proud of you, Regina," she said, kissing her on the forehead.

Regina's face lit up. Her mother's approval. It was what she'd always wanted. "Thank you, mother," she said happily.

* * *

"Daddy?" Regina knocked on the door of her father's bedroom. Her parents hadn't slept in the same bed for as long as she could remember.

"Regina?" He asked, sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "It's so late. What are you doing awake?"

"I couldn't sleep," she said quietly.

"What's on your mind?" He asked. She leaned against the doorframe, not sure if she should go through with it. He patted the bed next to him and she climbed up, sitting on top of the covers.

"Daddy, if I tell you this, can you promise not to tell mother?" She said.

Henry paused. Regina knew her father was afraid of his wife. She had dark powers. Regina had experienced her anger on many occasions growing up and could understand why her father would fear the consequences of keeping her secret. But he nodded in agreement.

She looked down as she fiddled with her hands. "I'm seeing someone," she said.

He sighed. "This someone wouldn't happen to be a certain gentleman who lives just across the field, would it?" A look of surprise crossed her face. "My dear Regina, I have known for a very long time that you and David were meant to be more than just friends."

Regina smiled, but that smile quickly faded at the thought of her mother. "Daddy, I don't know what to do," she said.

He shook his head. "Do whatever is going to make you happy. That's all I want for you. And someday, your mother will come around." He covered her hand with his and gave her a supportive smile.

Regina wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, daddy."

* * *

Before the sun rose the next morning, she and David went riding together through the forest. He'd gotten good very quickly, and Regina was impressed. They galloped through the forest, laughing excitedly.

David looked over briefly at the girl he'd fallen in love with. On Rocinante's back with the wind blowing through her hair and a smile on her face, she had never looked more beautiful.

They reached the river a bit later and stopped so their horses could drink and rest for a bit. She relaxed in his arms and he placed a soft kiss on her temple, eliciting a small smile from the young girl. "Tonight I have to go to the King's Ball," she said quietly.

"Hm," he grunted. "With Daniel, I assume."

"Yes," she said as she played with his fingers. "I'm going to end it."

He raised his eyebrows and turned her to look at him. "Really?"

She smiled and nodded her head. Still holding his hand in hers, she gave it a small squeeze. "David, I don't want to be with anyone but you. No matter how much it disappoints Cora, the most important thing to me is you. I am never so happy as when I'm with you." Her smile grew, lighting up her eyes. "David, I love you."

A giant grin covered his face. "I love you, too, Regina," he responded happily. He pulled her to him, kissing her passionately.

She smiled through the kiss and deepened it, pulling him down on top of her. He gently ran his tongue over her bottom lip, and she allowed him to enter.

He moved his mouth to her neck, gently sucking and licking the skin there. She let out a soft moan at the contact as she ran her fingers through his hair. His hand wandered to her breast, gently squeezing it as his mouth found hers again. "David," she whispered, separating her mouth from his and looking into his piercing blue eyes. Then she said, almost questioningly, "Make love to me."

He paused for a moment, still gazing into her sparkling brown eyes. He smiled again before pressing his mouth to hers tenderly, but with no less need than before. His hand slowly made its way to her vest, unlacing it as he moved his kisses down her neck again. He pulled apart the leather garment, letting it fall open. Regina sat up and took his face in her hands, kissing him feverishly. She allowed the vest to fall from her arms before tugging his shirt over his head.

She'd seen David with his shirt off before when they would go swimming, but never had it been in this context. His flesh was warm as her hands traced the toned muscles of his body. Just the sight of him made her more aroused.

He untucked her blouse from her riding pants and swiftly removed it from her body, exposing her body to his eyes. "You're beautiful," he whispered. A smile crept to her mouth. David's lips caressed the skin of her collarbone; he trailed open mouthed kisses down the valley between her breasts to her stomach. Chill bumps formed on her body at his touch. His mouth made contact with one of her nipples, which became instantly hard. He flicked his tongue over it, eliciting a moan from the girl. He moved to the other breast, gently closing his teeth around the bud and tugging.

"David," she breathed. He unfastened her riding pants and slowly pulled them down her legs along with her underwear, leaving her naked beneath him. He ran his calloused fingers over her opening, causing her to move her hips with need. "David," she repeated.

He pressed two of his fingers into her. She was incredibly tight. The simple act of pushing his fingers into her made her squirm with a combination of pain and pleasure. She sat up and kissed him passionately as he continued moving his digits inside her.

She fumbled a bit with the button on his trousers before unfastening it. He removed his fingers so he could lean forward and kick the last of his clothes off. He kissed her zealously as he aligned himself with her center. He removed his lips from hers and looked in her eyes, making sure it was what she wanted.

She smiled and kissed him again, affirming her desires. He pressed the tip against her opening and slowly moved into her, watching as her face contorted with excruciating ecstasy. He fit his length into her, allowing her virgin pussy to adjust to him before he began to thrust rhythmically.

"Oh, god," she moaned as the pressure began to build within her. He leaned over and kissed her hard as the orgasm took over her body, making her whimper and shake. He thrust several more times before allowing himself to release inside her, moaning her name as he came.

Their breathing still heavy, he rested on top of her, kissing her over and over again. The sun was just beginning to rise, the pink glow lighting her face. She was smiling up at him, utterly blissful. The fingers of her right hand traced his jawline. "I love you," she said breathily.

Each time she said it, David's heart leapt. "I love you, too," he said. Her love filled him with so much joy he thought he'd burst from sheer happiness. His lips met hers again in a kiss full of promises of protection, passion, and love.

* * *

**I hope you liked this chapter! I knew I wanted to go in this direction, but I had a hard time getting there. Please let me know what you think! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. I certainly hope it's worth the wait! Enjoy!**

* * *

Regina arrived back at her house before her mother awoke. She climbed her apple tree and jumped to the windowsill, pulling herself through the window into her bedroom. She changed out of her riding clothes. When she pulled off her underwear, she discovered the bloodstain in the crotch area. She threw the garment under the bed so her mother wouldn't see it before changing into her nightgown.

Then she climbed under the sheets again, fully intending to go back to sleep, but her mind continued to swim with the memory of David filling her, making her feel things she'd never felt before.

Cora walked in a moment later. "Good morning, dear," she said, gently shaking her daughter.

Regina turned, pretending to be groggy. "Oh, good morning, mother."

"It is time to wake up. You have a big day ahead of you," she said, moving to the curtains and opening them. "Regina," she said curtly. "Why is your window open?"

Regina froze. "Uh, last night it got really warm in here," she lied. "So I opened the window for some fresh air."

"Hm," Cora said. "That's odd." She seemed convinced, which relieved Regina. "Come now, dear. We have to prepare for the ball."

"Mother, can't I sleep a bit longer?" Regina asked, trying to keep the whiny tone out of her voice.

"No. Tonight is very special, and you need to look your best. Now come. You need your bath."

* * *

Regina looked at the dress laid out on her bed. It was beautiful, but Regina had no desire to wear it tonight. All she wanted was to go back to David and hold him and make love to him again. She smiled at the memory of their morning together. She was so in love.

She heard something hit the floor of her bedroom and she looked down. A pebble was sitting on the floor. _What the hell? _She moved to the window, where she assumed it came from.

Sitting in her apple tree was the man she loved, grinning like an idiot. "My mother could have been in here," she whispered.

"Well, thank god she wasn't," he responded. He jumped, his hands grabbing the ledge. The shepherd effortlessly pulled himself up and into the girl's room. "Hi," he said stupidly.

She giggled. "Hello, dear," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a long, soft kiss. "I wish we could just run away together," she said quietly when she pulled away.

"Nothing would make me happier," he responded, kissing her again.

"We could just spend all day riding horses, swimming, making love…" Another kiss.

"Sounds like a beautiful plan."

She smiled at the thought of running away with him. Leaving and never turning back. Of course they would miss Henry, Thomas, and Ruth… _but it's all worth it if I can just be with my best friend, my love. _

She just stood there and held him for a while as he rubbed circles on her back. "I don't want to go tonight," she said.

"I don't want you to go either," he responded. They both knew she had no choice though. He kissed her on the forehead. "But after tonight, you're completely mine," he said with a happy smile.

She stood on her toes and kissed him again. "I'm already completely yours," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too." They kissed one more time before Regina motioned for him to climb out the window. She offered him one last smile before closing the window and turning to the blue dress once more.

* * *

Regina arrived at the ball on Daniel's arm. She honestly did have a good time with him. She enjoyed his company, and he treated her like a person as opposed to just an object. She wished that they could have just been friends. She would have enjoyed having him as a friend and confidante. But she just didn't love him.

As she plastered on a smile and descended the stairs on the prince's arm. Her mind, however, wandered to her David. How she wished he was the one escorting her to the ball. She looked out over the crowd, taking in the sight of Daniel's fellow royals. They were all dressed in beautiful gowns. She picked out Snow White, King Leopold's annoying daughter. King Midas was there, wearing protective gloves so as not to turn anything (or anyone) into gold. She saw her mother across the room, smiling proudly as her daughter proceeded down the stairs, into what Cora believed was Regina's rightful place as a royal.

They landed on the floor, and Daniel took her waist and hand to begin twirling her about the ballroom. Around them, couples joined, taking the lead of their prince.

"You look beautiful, Regina," Daniel said into her ear when the music slowed.

"Thank you, dear," she responded, trying to sound genuine.

"Come with me," he said, taking her hand and escorting her from the room. They moved out to the balcony. The crisp night air felt good as she inhaled. "Regina," he said. "These last few months have been amazing. You are beautiful and smart. I love being with you…" He reached into his pocket and got down on his knee.

She gasped lightly as he pulled out the little box. She didn't even hear the rest of his proposal. Too many thoughts were flying through her head as she stared at the large diamond ring. She was planning to break up with him. She wanted to be with David.

She opened her mouth to respond, but then Regina caught a glimpse of her mother out of the corner of her eye. The woman's gaze was boring into her almost threateningly.

"Regina," Daniel finished. "Will you be my wife?"

* * *

"David?"

He woke to the girl's whisper coming from his window. "Regina?" He said groggily. "What time is it?" She didn't answer. She just quickly moved to the bed at wrapped her arms around him. She was shaking. "Regina, is everything okay?"

She pulled away and he could tell she was crying. "Regina, what happened?"

"Let's do it," she said with a tearful smile.

"Do what?"

"Run away together," she said. "Get out of here."

He looked at her, smiling incredulously. "Are you crazy?"

"Maybe," she said, giggling a bit. Regina took his face in her hands. "Run away with me."

He looked into her eyes, filled with tears that formed in a combination of excitement, fear, joy and sadness. He kissed her passionately and a single tear fell from her eye. "Let's do it," he breathed.

She laughed. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he said with a smile.

She laughed excitedly and threw her arms around him again. "David, I love you so much."

"I love you, too," he said, holding her tightly and breathing in the smell of her hair. "Let me gather some things and we'll go. I'll meet you at the stables." She smiled and kissed him again before climbing out the window.

David packed a few of his things in a bag and made his way down the stairs. He passed his mother's room, pausing. He put his bag down and walked inside. He kissed her gently on the forehead, a tear falling down his cheek as he thought about what he was leaving behind. "I love you, mother," he whispered.

Across the field, Regina climbed through her bedroom window for the second time that day, quickly moving to her desk. She wanted to write a letter saying goodbye.

"My, my, where were you?"

Regina's blood chilled at the sound. "Mother," she said. "I was just out rid—"

"Don't lie to me, dear," Cora replied. Regina finally realized what Cora was holding in her hand. The bloodstained underwear from beneath her bed.

"I—I—" Regina struggled to respond, and in a flash, her back was pinned to the wall several feel above the ground with an invisible force. "Mother! You promised you wouldn't use magic on me!" She cried out.

"That was before you became an ungrateful little girl," Cora replied, her arm outstretched, her hand glowing with the magical force. "I've given you everything you need to become powerful!"

"I don't want power!" Regina shouted through her tears. "I just want to be free," she sobbed.

"You don't know what you want," Cora spat, her magic squeezing the girl a bit tighter.

"Mother, please, you're hurting me!"

Cora released her and the girl fell to the ground with a hard thud. "You are going to marry the prince," Cora growled, standing over her daughter. She grabbed Regina's arm, pulling her to her feet. Regina could feel a throbbing pain in her left knee, but she forced herself to stand tall in front of her mother. "You will forget this childish _fling_," she said, throwing the garment across the room. "And in just a few weeks, you will be queen."

Hard sobs came from the girl's throat. If she hadn't come back to the house—if she had just gone straight to the stables—she and David could be free. They could have be miles away, where Cora would never find them.

"Love is weakness, Regina," her mother said, repeating the words she'd said so many times before.

* * *

"Regina!" David called at the sight of his girlfriend walking into the stabled. He ran to her and embraced her. She didn't respond, instead pulling away. "What's wrong?"

"I'm marrying Daniel."

The words cut into his heart like a knife. "Regina, what are you talking about?"

"He proposed tonight at the ball. I'm going to marry him in three weeks' time. Then I will be queen."

She was cold and unfeeling, nothing like the Regina he'd known his whole life. "You're not making any sense. You've never wanted power."

"Who wouldn't want power?" She scoffed. "You really think I'd give up all of that for a simple shepherd like you?"

The tears were falling from his eyes as he grabbed her by the shoulders. "But what about love. I love you! And you love me! That's all we need! Why did you change your mind?"

They made eye contact. Her brown orbs were empty. "Love is weakness," she replied.

"No! I refuse to believe that you think that!" He said. He pulled her to him, kissing her hard. But she didn't reciprocate, instead pulling away from him quickly.

She turned on her heels and strode out of the stables. He watched her go and fell to his knees, sobbing as he watched the woman he loved leave the stables.

Around the corner, a cloud of blue smoke appeared, returning the woman to her true form as she sauntered back into her house.

* * *

**Guhhhhh I hate Cora! But I just thought running away would be too easy. So I had to put a roadblock in their path. My poor babies! Please review. I love to hear your thoughts :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry this took so long! I was having a lot of trouble conjuring the muse. But here it is. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

David sat at the table. He'd just returned from the stables and was slumped in a chair. He'd been crying for an hour. He couldn't stop. It had seemed so right. He was going to run away and spend the rest of his life with the woman he loved. And then suddenly she decided she didn't love him anymore.

He heard a gasp from the doorway. "David? What's the matter?" Ruth ran to her son, wrapping him in a hug.

"Sh-she left me," David choked out.

Ruth was shocked. "What? How is that possible?"

"We…we were going to run away together tonight," he told her. "We wanted to be together. And we couldn't do that here. Because of her mother. So I went to meet her at the stables, and when I got there…" He choked back the tears. "She told me that she was going to marry Daniel. That she would be queen. She said, 'love is weakness' and then she just left like I never mattered."

Ruth furrowed her brow as she hugged her son, comforting his broken heart.

* * *

Regina had hardly slept that night. Her eyes burned from crying. She missed her David. She wanted to see him again. But Cora had cast a spell so that Regina could not leave the house without her or Daniel, and there was no way around it.

"Regina, it's time to wake up," said Cora, walking into the bedroom.

The young woman snuggled further under her covers in rebellion. She also knew that her eyes were swollen from crying all night, and she didn't want Cora to see. "Can I sleep a little longer, mother?" She said quietly.

"No," she said simply, waving her hand, her magic pulling the sheets off her daughter. Regina's body instinctively curled up tighter from the combination of cold air hitting her skin and fear of her mother's magic. "We have to prepare to leave for the palace," Cora happily said.

Regina slowly moved from the bed. "Mother, please don't make me do this," she said, her eyes filling with tears again as she looked up at her mother, practically begging her.

Cora stared coldly at her daughter. "You are going to marry Daniel. And soon enough, you will be queen. You will have power." Cora grabbed her daughter's arms excitedly. Regina cried as her mother wiped her tears away. "Now get cleaned up. We have to leave in a few hours." She quickly walked out of the room again.

Regina leaned against her bed and gazed out the window. She could see David's house. She touched her fingers to the glass, desperately wishing that somehow she could reach out and touch him again.

Little did she know that across the field, her love was doing the same thing.

* * *

David looked out the kitchen window at the house. The aching feeling in his heart hadn't subsided at all. All he wanted was to run over there and kiss her again. He wanted to find out why things had changed. Why she had suddenly decided power and influence were more important than love. Their entire lives all she'd wanted was happiness. She'd always retaliated against her mother when she would say, "Love is weakness." How had Cora managed to change her mind in a matter of moments?

"David?" His mother came into the room to check on her son. "You need to stop staring out that window. It's only going to hurt you more," she told him.

"Mother, something isn't right," he told her, the wheels in his brain turning as he tried to imagine every possible scenario that could have happened between her coming to him, desperate to escape, and their encounter in the stables. "Regina spent her whole life trying to escape her mother. Why would she suddenly start talking like her?"

"David, I don't know. A mother can be very persuasive."

"She just wasn't herself. She was so cold and unfeeling…and when I kissed her…" His voice trailed off as tears formed. _The spark wasn't there._

He turned back to the window and saw several carriages at the Mills house. "They're leaving?"

He was out the door in a flash.

* * *

The footman held out his hand for Regina, and she looked at it, contemplating whether she should take it or run. She could run until her legs gave out. Until she couldn't breathe. She'd go somewhere her mother couldn't find her.

"Miss Mills, are you alright?" She looked at the footman, his hand still extended toward her. There was genuine concern in his eyes, and it was comforting to Regina. "Yes, I'm fine, she said, putting on a fake smile and taking his hand. He helped her into the carriage, closing the door behind her.

Regina slumped against the seat, squeezing her eyes shut in a futile attempt to stop the tears. "David," she whispered.

* * *

David quickly ran toward the house, wanting answers. His lungs burned as he sprinted. He was so close. Almost there. He could feel her.

Then he was thrown on his back.

"Oof!" The wind was knocked out of him, and he lay on the ground. He tried to get up, but some invisible force held him to the ground.

"You will stay away from my daughter," Cora said, standing over him, looking down.

"I just want to say goodbye," he pleaded breathlessly.

She chuckled, amused at his audacity. "You said goodbye to her last night in the stables, when she told you she's going to marry the prince. She's going to be queen, not the wife of some worthless stable boy."

"She's my best frie—"

"And now she's not. Goodbye, shepherd," she spat.

* * *

The carriage pulled away with Regina and Cora inside it. Henry was going to follow a few days later, as he had some business to attend to. Cora was smiling ecstatically the whole ride. Regina, on the other hand, gazed out the window, her eyes glazing over as she rode closer to the castle and farther from the life she'd always imagined for herself—a happy life with the man she loved.

Instead she was on her way to the palace, where her fiancé waited for her arrival. "Oh, Regina, this wedding is going to be so beautiful," Cora said. She continued chirping about details as Regina zoned out, trying to block her mother out as she imagined being held in David's strong arms. She could still feel his kiss. The way his hands roamed her body. The feeling of him pressing into her. Regina squeezed her legs together a little bit as she thought about making love to her shepherd again. She only wished she was ever going to be able to do it again.

When they arrived at the palace, Daniel came to greet them, giving her a chaste kiss when she stepped out of the carriage. She reciprocated out of necessity rather than desire. If there was any chance of escaping this, she had to behave as if she was content with this arrangement.

* * *

Regina was given her own bedchamber for the time between her arrival and the wedding, as she and Daniel were expected to remain chaste until marriage (Regina had obviously screwed that up, having already slept with David).

She was unpacking her things when she came across a bag that didn't belong to her. It was her mother's. She really didn't feel like seeing her mother that night and chatting about wedding plans and power. She just wanted to unpack and go to sleep. She checked the bag to make sure there was nothing important in it. Inside the bag, she found various articles of clothing, but upon digging a bit, she found a book.

It was familiar. Regina had seen her mother with it multiple times. It was her spellbook. The young woman tossed it back in the bag. It could wait until morning.

That night, Regina tossed and turned. Despite the lavish comfort of the king-sized bed, she couldn't get to sleep. The thought of the book kept coming to her head. Regina had always hated magic. Her mother had never used it for good, only to gain whatever she wanted.

But what if this magic could get her out of here and back to David? What if she could find something in there that would allow her to see him again. At least one more time.

Regina climbed out of bed and opened the bag, pulling the object out. She ran her fingers over the carvings, over the heart in the middle of the cover. She opened it. "Rumpleshtilstkin?" She read aloud.

"That's not how you say it, dearie." Regina spun around to face the voice that taunted her, her heart nearly pounding out of her chest. "Rumplestiltskin," he corrected. "And _you_ must be Regina."

"H-how do you know my name?"

"Well, dearie, who did you think gave your mother the book?" He said. "Judging by the redness in your eyes, you've been crying. Why is the future queen so despondent?"

She didn't know why, but her mouth just started talking to him of its own accord. "I don't want to be queen. I never did. I only did it for mother. She…cares an awful lot about status."

"Oh I know. I know your mother very well," he said. "After all, I am the one who helped her get where she is today."

"How did you do that?"

"Another story for another time, dearie. Now I believe you called me for a reason," he said, taking a step closer.

This man had a strange effect on Regina. She felt entirely uncomfortable yet incredibly drawn to him. And for some reason he made her just want to speak. "I need a way out," she said.

"Well, there are doors everywhere in this castle."

"Of course, but I need a way to get away from my mother."

"You need magic."

"No!" She shouted a little too loudly.

"Then I'm sorry, dearie. I can't help you," he told her simply.

"I don't want to become like her," Regina said quietly, tears filling her eyes.

Rumple looked at the small woman in front of her. "Well if you change your mind, you know how to call me." He disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.

She watched as the cloud dissipated. "I won't," she breathed.

* * *

**Sorry, guys. It's going to be a while before our lovers are reunited... But fear not! True love will prevail!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, this time I'm serious about not waiting so long to post the next chapter. Now that I know where I'm going, the writer's block won't hit as hard.**

* * *

David made his way through the market. He'd been visiting Daniel's kingdom every chance he could in hopes of catching a glimpse of the soon-to-be-queen.

He'd tried to forget her. He tried to remind himself that Regina didn't love him anymore. But something about their last encounter didn't sit right with him. He just wanted to see her again. He wanted to see if her face would light up the way it used to at the sight of him. But of course she was never there.

_David, you're an idiot. She doesn't love you anymore. Just let it go. Let her go._

* * *

Regina pushed her food around on her plate. She wasn't the least bit hungry. The wedding was the following day, and all she could do was hope that somehow she could find a way out.

"Regina, my love?" The young woman looked up across the table at her soon-to-be husband. "Is something troubling you?" He asked.

Regina shook her head and plastered on the fake smile she'd had so much practice in for the last two weeks she'd been living in the castle. "Nothing at all, dear," she lied. "Just a bit anxious about tomorrow."

"Any way I can ease your mind?" He responded.

She shook her head. "No. I think I just need some rest," she said, standing from the table. "I'm going to retire to my bedchamber for the night."

Daniel nodded and made his way to her side of the table. He took her hands in his and kissed her. She kissed him back, more out of obligation than love. She couldn't be happy with him. Not when her true love was still out there, hopefully waiting for her.

She moved swiftly to her bedchamber, where she sat at her vanity and unpinned her hair, ebony curls falling about her shoulders. The tears had started falling from her eyes before she even made it to the privacy of her room. She felt so broken and helpless. She was being forced into a marriage she didn't want solely because she so desperately wanted her mother's approval. She opened the drawer of her vanity to pull out a hairbrush.

Her eyes fell upon the spell book she had, for some reason, never returned to her mother. Fortunately Cora hadn't noticed. Regina found herself unable to pull her gaze away, and before she knew it, her hands were moving of their own accord, picking up the book. Before she could even stop herself, she had the book in her hand and was whispering the name, "Rumplestiltskin."

"You beckoned, dearie?" The imp greeted. Regina didn't even flinch at the usually startling voice.

"I need something," she said urgently.

"As I recall, you never wanted magic. And since that's the area in which I specialize, I don't see how I can help you."

She lifted her head high. "I don't want magic." She stepped a bit closer to the older man. "But I need it."

The Dark One looked her up and down. _This is going to be fun_.

* * *

"How are you, David?" Ruth said as her son walked through the door. David simply shook his head. "You've got to stop torturing yourself, dear."

David's head hit the table dejectedly. "I miss her so much," he said.

"I know you do." She covered his hand with hers. "I miss her, too, but I hate what this is doing to you."

"Are you telling me I should just give up?"

She looked at him through sad eyes. "I'm telling you to be happy again."

David looked at his mother for a moment, allowing her words to sink in. He stood up quickly and headed for the door. "I'm going to herd the sheep."

* * *

Regina dismissed the servants from her room and stood in front of the mirror, looking at her wedding dress. _It's big_, she thought. _How am I supposed to sit in this thing? _She looked herself up and down in the mirror. _Well I guess I won't be doing much sitting._

She closed her eyes and thought of the wedding she'd always imagined having. Simple, but beautiful. Just her and David and their families. Something outdoors. She'd wear a beautiful, flowing white dress. A silent tear fell down her cheek as she thought of the wedding she'd always dreamed of. The family she wanted with the man she loved. She could almost feel his arms around her. His hand as it brushed her hair behind her ear. His lips as they met her neck, sucking gently as his hands moved to caress her breasts.

"Happy wedding day, dearie!"

Regina nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of her teacher's voice. "What are you doing here?" She said, quickly wiping the tears away. She knew he'd already seen her crying, but something made her want to seem strong.

"I got you a wedding gift," he told her.

She turned to find an extraordinarily large present behind her. "What is this?" Regina asked, but her teacher was already gone as the sound of the doorknob turning hit her ears. "Hello, mother."

* * *

**Sorry this chapter was so short, especially after the long wait, but there's going to be a time lapse here & I don't want it to occur in the middle of a chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10

Regina sat on the floor of the bathroom crying. Daniel had fallen asleep almost immediately after they consummated their marriage, and after she was certain he wouldn't wake, she stole away to the bathroom in her former bedchamber and collapsed in tears.

She held herself as she remembered the events that had transpired only an hour before. She and Daniel had arrived in their shared bedroom at the end of the night, and he pulled her into a kiss. While perfectly nice, it was nothing like the kisses she shared with David. He didn't have the same effect on her. She didn't become weak in the knees. No heart fluttering. No heat between her legs. It was chaste, but he wasn't of the same mindset. She could feel him growing against her.

She had done the wifely duty of sleeping with her husband in an attempt to produce an heir

"I'm so sorry," she whispered through the tears. But she wasn't really sure who she was apologizing to. She felt there were so many things to apologize for.

How could she let herself succumb to magic? The one thing she promised herself she'd never do.

And the thing that scared her most was how much she loved it. That power her mother always wanted her to have-the power that Regina had always rejected-felt amazing

But that was it. Now that Cora was gone, Regina wouldn't ever use magic again. Even if she could still feel it tingling in her bones.

* * *

David sat in the kitchen. It had been three weeks since Regina had married Daniel, and he was no more over it than the day she left. He was nursing his drink when Ruth came in the door, having returned from the market. "Hello, mother," he said.

"David!" She was startled by his presence. "What are you doing here?"

He looked at her confusedly. "I live here," he said flatly. "Is something wrong?"

Ruth protested, but after a bit of prodding, he finally got his answer. "The King has stepped down from the throne. Prince Daniel is to be crowned."

David's face paled. "So that means... She's going to be queen." Ruth nodded. David took another long drink. "When?"

"In two days' time."

Silence hung over the room until David abruptly rose from the table. "I'm going for a walk."

He didn't make it very far.

He stopped at the fence. The spot where he'd first realized his feelings for Regina. Where he'd kissed her for the first time. He gripped the fence until his knuckles turned white as hot tears fell from his eyes in a mix of anger and sadness. "Goddammit!"

* * *

Regina stood in her chambers, where she was being fitted for her coronation gown. The purple fabric looked beautiful on her olive skin, but the gown needed to be taken in so as to fit her properly. "Your highness?"

"Yes, Marta?" Regina looked to her chambermaid, a kind older woman who had been more of a mother to her than Cora had ever been.

"Your cousin, Abigail, is here to see you."

"Oh, send her in!" Regina said. The seamstresses finished pinning her gown and she moved behind the screen to change. The older women left the room, leaving Regina alone.

"Gina?"

Regina glanced over the screen. "Abby!" She rushed out once her dress was laced and hugged her cousin tightly. "You have no idea how happy I am that you are here," she said.

"Regina, what's wrong?" Abigail asked, noting the tears in her cousin's eyes. "This is supposed to be a happy event. Why are you crying?" She gently wiped a tear away, trying not to smear the brunette's makeup, but Regina's tears were too quick, and black makeup began to stream down her face.

"I never wanted to be queen," Regina said. "I was perfectly happy where I was. I had Rocinante and Daddy and David, and I was happy with all of it, and then just when I find love, it gets ripped away from me."

She was sobbing now, and Abigail led her to the sofa. She rubbed soothing circles on Regina's back. "What happened, exactly?"

The soon-to-be queen took a deep breath, composing herself. "I fell in love," she said, grinning nostalgically. "With David," she finished.

Abigail raised her eyebrows. "Really? Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You two have been inseparable for years."

Regina smiled. "I love him. I miss him so much." She started playing with her fingers. "We were going to run away together so that I wouldn't have to get married…but mother found out."

"How?" Abigail was completely intrigued. Regina had always rebelled a bit, but the idea of her trying to run away was far beyond anything she had done before.

Regina blushed. "David and I…we…we made love. There was blood," Regina said. "And when I snuck back into the house, I didn't have enough time to wash my underwear, so I tossed them under the bed…"

"And Cora found them?" Abigail's eyes widened immensely.

Regina nodded. "We left the next day. I haven't seen him since," she said despondently.

Abigail wrapped her arms around the brunette, who had started sobbing again. "Shh," she coaxed, rocking the other woman back and forth. "It's going to be alright," she whispered soothingly.

"How do you know?" Regina asked, watering eyes looking into soft blue ones.

Abigail smiled. "Because True Love always finds a way," she said, squeezing Regina's trembling hands. When the brunette stopped shaking and sobbing, Abigail asked, "Where _is _your mother? I would have thought she'd be hovering."

Regina inhaled sharply. "Gone. She…I pushed her through a portal…"

Abigail furrowed her brows. "So…she's gone?" Regina nodded. "Why did you do that, Gina?"

"I was just so angry," she said, tears stinging the backs of her eyes again. "She just kept pushing and pushing…so I finally pushed back. She'd started using magic on me, and I had enough of it."

"You can use magic?"

Regina nodded. "That was the only time I used it. I'm never doing it again," she said. "But Rumplestiltskin—"

"You're learning magic from _him_?!" Abigail was petrified. "Regina, that's the darkest magic imaginable! Please, _please_ promise me you'll never contact him again. Magic comes at a price, and I don't think you'll be willing to pay _that _price."

Regina nodded. "Okay," she said quietly.

Abigail hugged her cousin. "Alright," she said "let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

David stood on the edge of the road with the crowd that had congregated to see the royal parade. The people were abuzz with gossip about the new King and Queen. Most of the rumors about Regina were false, however, and David had to restrain himself from tackling a woman who referred to the new Queen as "that gold-digging harlot."

The sound of hooves excited the crowd, and everyone cheered as the cavalcade made their way down the path. Everyone was trying to get a peek at the new King and Queen. They were near the end of the procession, preceded and followed by armored guards. As they made their way down the road, David's breath caught in his throat.

This woman was not the lively, loving woman he fell in love with. She smiled at her subjects, but it never reached her eyes. She waved and smiled, pretending the entire way that she was fine. And had David not known her so well, he never would have known.

That was what made it so strange. The last time he'd seen her, she was cold and unfeeling. There was no attempt at niceties on her part. No sadness or pain on her part. He knew her as well as she knew herself and vice versa. And he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right that night in the stables.

And then they made eye contact. Regina's eyes fell on him for a split second as she scanned the crowd, and then they flicked back to him, locking them in an intensely passionate gaze.

He saw her swallow hard as she looked at him, and he knew she was trying not to cry. He gazed into her eyes as her horse continued on its path and he knew that the only way to know if his gut was right was going to hurt her.

He mouthed the words, "I love you."

* * *

"Regina, is everything alright?" Daniel asked when they arrived back at the palace.

She blinked back the tears she'd been holding in for the last two hours. "I'm fine, dear. If it's alright with you, I'm going to go for a ride for a while," she said, forcing a smile to her face.

The new king nodded and stepped toward her, rubbing her shoulders. "Would you like a guard to accompany you?"

"No, dear, that's fine," she said. "I'm sure you have things to attend to. I'm just going to stay out of your hair for a bit and spend some time with Rocinante."

He smiled genuinely and kissed her on the forehead. "Alright," he said. "I love you."

Regina choked out a reciprocation like she always did. "Love you, too."

Daniel walked back to the palace with the guards, and as soon as they were gone, Regina was mounting Rocinante and speeding off into the distance. When the palace was finally out of sight, she allowed herself to cry. Sobs wracked her body as Rocinante flew through the forest.

_Why did you have to do that, David? Why did you have to say those wonderful words?"_

She stopped Rocinante and dismounted with absolutely no grace, collapsing to the ground next to the horse. She lay there, sobbing into her arm, not caring if she dirtied her clothes. Eventually her tear ducts dried, and she was reduced to the sound of sobbing without the relief of tears. It was then that Rocinante nudged her with his nose. She looked up at the steed. His eyes were comforting, and even though she still trembled, she stroked his face, silently thanking him for his comfort. "I miss him so much, Rocinante." He nudged her face softly. She stood and looked around. "I have no idea where we are," she said with a humorless laugh. She mounted the steed again, and they went on their way.

* * *

David scratched his head as he walked through the forest. Nothing made sense. How could she tell him that she didn't love him anymore when she clearly did? Her eyes had filled with tears at his words. And even though David thought it would comfort him to know if she still missed him, it only made him upset. Upset and angry. How could she put him through that pain if she didn't mean it.

"None of this is adding up," he said to himself. He stopped and sat on a log. Everything was so confusing. He rested his head in his hands. He wasn't sure what he had been hoping for when he saw her. Closure? Some sort of declaration of love? He couldn't figure it out, but one thing was for sure: Regina Mills still loved him.

* * *

**This story is so difficult to write, so that's why it's been taking longer to put out chapters. I hope that it's worth the wait. Please review! It makes the writing process go so much quicker when I see that people are reading and enjoying the chapters. And if there's something you want, feel free to tell me! And if it doesn't fit into this story, maybe I'll write you a little one shot :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it. :)**

* * *

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and before they knew it, a year had gone by since the night they were torn apart. Regina walked through the ballroom. As Queen, it was her duty to prepare the annual ball as celebration of the new year. This particular ball was to be planned in conjunction with King Leopold's kingdom, in an effort to bring the kingdoms into a closer relationship.

Daniel and Leopold spent much time together discussing politics and working to forge a relationship based on trust. Daniel found himself enjoying the older man's company. Unfortunately, this tasked Regina with entertaining Leopold's daughter, Snow White.

Snow had immediately recognized Regina from the last new year ball, when David had attended. Regina clenched her fists as Snow talked about the handsome _Charming_, as she called him. Though Regina was not much older than Snow, she found the young girl infuriatingly childish. She practically bounced around and rarely stopped talking. Regina's disdain for the girl most likely stemmed from Snow's infatuation with David, despite only having met him once.

"Why didn't you ever date Charming?" Snow asked.

"Whoever said I didn't?" Regina replied, smirking evilly and causing the girl's face to turn as pale as her name insinuated. She continued walking even though the girl was frozen in her tracks.

* * *

David loitered near the palace, trying to find an appropriate time to get past the guards. He'd yet to find appropriate clothing to wear to this masquerade ball at the palace. He'd hoped that he could sneak in, but dressed in his own clothes, the clothes of a lowly shepherd, he knew he'd never get in.

He scoped out the castle many times, trying to find an area where he might be able to climb through a window, but of course he didn't. Nothing was quite that simple.

"Looking for help, dearie?" David turned to find a man standing behind him. He hadn't heard him approach, which was unnerving.

"Who are you?" The shepherd asked.

"Just someone who can help you get to your love," said the imp. "Rumplestiltskin," he said with a flourish. "And if you like, I can help you get into the castle and find your dear queen."

"How did you—"

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I need your help and you need mine. What do you say we make a deal?"

David steeled his gaze. "What do you want?"

The Dark One looked him up and down. "Your coat," he said.

David raised an eyebrow. "My coat?"

"You give me your coat, I give you the masquerade of a prince and get you inside the castle." He leaned forward. "Do we have a deal?"

David hesitated, thoroughly uncomfortable with the older man in front of him, but he removed his coat, offering it to Rumplestiltskin. With a wave of his hand, the Dark One had turned David's attire from that of a shepherd to that of a prince. "Pleasure doing business with you," said Rumplestiltskin before waving his hand and having David inside the palace.

* * *

Regina twirled about the floor with her husband, forcing a smile to her face. It had been a year since they married, and Regina had yet to become pregnant. Daniel was under a lot of pressure from his advisors to produce an heir, and said advisors all blamed his queen.

And as much as the royal couple denied it, Regina still knew it was her fault.

* * *

"_You want me to give you a spell to prevent yourself from becoming pregnant?"_

_Regina nodded her head. "And why wouldn't you want to produce an heir to your throne, dearie?" The imp asked._

"_Because I don't want to condemn my child to a life where her parents aren't in love!"_

"_Well, if I remember correctly, you're the one who doesn't love your husband. The dear king does love you. You could have gotten out of this engagement when you pushed your mother through the portal," he pointed out. "__**I **__think you got your taste of power and never wanted to let it go." He ran his fingers over hers, letting the magic spark against her fingertips. "You love magic."_

_Regina felt a pang of guilt. He was right. She'd changed since that night. Daniel didn't deserve to be in a marriage where he wasn't loved, but she had let it happen. And now she was trying to manipulate her own body so that she could get out of something she could have ended a year ago._

_Something she convinced herself she only stayed in because of her mother._

"_Just teach me the spell," she said, pushing aside all of those thoughts._

"_You do realize that if you perform this spell, you will never have children," he said._

_She took a deep breath and nodded. "Teach me."_

* * *

After a few dances, Regina excused herself, making her way out of the ballroom and down the hall. When she was far enough away from the ballroom, she ducked into the servants' quarters and slid down the wall, allowing herself to cry.

At first she attempted to stay quiet, but as she cried, she began to sob audibly. "Is everything alright?"

Regina looked up to find a tall, muscular man in a simple black mask that concealed the area around his eyes standing in the doorway. "I'll be fine," she answered, wiping a tear away.

He removed his mask and was astounded to see his face was identical to that of her love. "Wh-who are you?" She asked, highly confused by this man's appearance.

"Prince James," he said. "King George is my father." He took her hand, bringing her to her feet and kissing the back of her hand. "Now, what is a beautiful woman such as yourself doing crying in a servants' hall?"

She smoothed her dress, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "How do you know if I'm beautiful?" She asked. "I'm wearing a mask."

He chuckled darkly. "It's a gift. I can sense a beautiful woman from miles away." He'd moved closer to her and was tucking a flyaway hair behind her ear. "I was drawn to you." He paused and took a step toward her. Her back was pressed to the wall now, and he breathed against her lips, "_Your majesty._"

James untied the mask and removed it, letting it fall to the floor before pressing his lips roughly to hers.

* * *

David made his way through the castle, following the music to the ballroom. After a year, he was finally going to speak to her. He was going to be able to get answers to all the questions that wracked his mind day and night. He had to restrain himself to keep from running toward the ballroom.

Then he heard voices. He heard _her _voice. The other belonged to someone he didn't recognize. He quickened his pace before he saw it.

In a shadowed hallway was the woman he loved. He ducked behind a curtain where he could still see and waited for her to finish her conversation, but instead of words, he saw the man kiss her.

Her hands came up to pull him closer to her, and David couldn't stop the tears that formed in his eyes. He ran back from whence he came.

Regina pulled James closer to her, her mind swimming with thoughts. Even though he wasn't David, he looked and sounded like him. When she opened her eyes, she could imagine that she was with her true love.

But he felt nothing like the man she'd fallen so hopelessly in love with. When her eyes were closed, he felt nothing like David. He didn't hold her the same way. He didn't make her body tremble with desire. She pushed him away.

She saw a flash of red going down the hall, and her stomach dropped. She ran, leaving the prince dumbfounded in the corridor.

Despite her heels, the queen was able to catch up with the man who ran ahead of her. He finally slowed, hearing the footsteps behind him. Regina slowed, too, and before he turned, she recognized his posture. The way his body tensed. The way his hands balled into fists before releasing.

Then he turned around.

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER! Sorry, I had to! But you'll get to see them together in the next chapter, I promise. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**OH MY GOD. I can't believe I kept you all waiting for almost two months for this chapter. I am ****_so _****sorry. Especially when I left you right before the reunion. I was struggling with the muse and dealing with a lot of work at school. But now that it's summer and I kind of figured out what I wanted from the story, I should update once a week or so. I love you all, and thanks for sticking with this one.**

**Also, I've cast Daniel's father as Anthony Hopkins a la ****_Mask of Zorro_****. Because I'm currently watching it and that's all I can picture.**

* * *

Tears had already begun to form in her eyes before he turned around, and when blue eyes fell upon brown, she found she could barely breathe. An ecstatic smile crossed her face as a happy laugh escaped her lips. "David?" She choked out through tears.

The shepherd looked at her before quickly saying, "I shouldn't have come."

He started to walk away quickly, but she stopped him. "David!" He turned back to her, his eyes cold. "What's the matter? You came all this way and now you're leaving?"

"You're married, Regina." The truth hung in the air between them, stale and uncomfortable. "I clearly have no place in your life."

She ran and stopped in front of him. "Then why did you tell me you loved me? Why did you show up that day and tell me that you still love me?"

He watched her eyes begin to tear. The innocent girl he'd known his whole life was emerging in front of her again. He didn't see the Queen that everyone else saw in her, but the little girl he'd become friends with, the one he ran around the fields with. The young lady who'd taught him to ride a horse. The woman he'd fallen madly in love with. And he desperately wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her.

But she'd hurt him. She'd scoffed at his love, refuted him. Why did she care that he told her he loved her? "Because that night just never sat well with me," he explained. "That you would come running to me, begging me to run away with you, and then you show up completely different."

Regina furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?"

"You _know _what I'm talking about! _Love is weakness, _remember?"

The brunette couldn't choke back the sob from her throat as her hand flew to her mouth. "Why would you say that to me, David? What kind of cruel joke is this?"

"It's not a joke, Regina!" He retorted. "I'm angry!" He said, raising his voice and causing the queen to step back. "I'm angry that you said yes when he proposed to you. I'm angry that you told me love is weakness when I know that you don't believe it for a second! I'm angry that you let your mother manipulate you into changing your mind. I'm angry that you told me love is weakness when I know that you don't believe it for a second!"

Regina's mind clicked at the last phrase. "David!" She said, taking his face in her hands to get his attention. "That wasn't me," she whispered.

"Don't lie to me!" He backed away from her. "Don't stand here and try to make me think I'm crazy—"

"I'm not trying to do that, David. I'm trying to explain."

"Why you broke my heart? Why you took everything we had and threw it away like it was nothing?" David was tearing up now. "And now you're married and off kissing other—"

"David, that's not what it looked like," she responded, pressing her fingers to her temples in frustration. "That's not even what this is about!"

"Then what is it about, Regina? Was I an idiot to think that you still want to be with me? That day I saw you at the cavalcade for the coronation, was I crazy to think that you looked at me like you still loved me?"

"Of course not!" Regina cried, finally getting David to stop talking. "David, I neverstopped loving you." She looked around and grabbed his hand, pulling him through the closest door into a sitting room. As soon as the door was closed behind them, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He immediately reciprocated, forgetting his anger as he remembered the feeling of holding her in his arms. They stayed like that for a moment before Regina finally pulled away, taking his face in her hands and pulling him into a slow, tender kiss. His hands fell to the small of her back, bringing her closer to him. He felt no need to deepen the kiss. It was slow, soft, and perfect.

Finally they pulled away, still holding each other. It was she who finally stepped away, standing behind a chaise to put a physical barrier between them while they talked. "David, that night in the stables… it wasn't me." David folded his arms over his chest. "David, you know I don't believe love is weakness. Quite the opposite, in fact."

"Well then how do you explain my talking to you that night?"

"Cora," she said. "She must have cast some sort of spell."

David took in the information. It made sense now. Why Regina had been so cold that night. The emptiness in her eyes, the way she pulled away from the kiss, the utter disregard for his feelings. "Thank god," he finally said, nearly sprinting to the other side of the couch and pulling her into a passionate kiss.

Regina heard footsteps approaching. "Behind the curtain! Now!" She half whispered, pushing David behind a curtain by the window. The door opened, and Regina spun to see her husband standing there. "Are you alright?" He asked, making his way across the room to the Queen.

"I'm fine, dear," she told him, unable to slow her nervous heart. Daniel leaned in to give her a small kiss.

"Darling, your heart is racing. Are you sure you're okay? I could send for a doctor."

"Oh, no, that won't be necessary," she said. "I just needed to escape the crowd for a moment. I'll be out soon."

"Alright," he replied, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

When he was gone, Regina exhaled the breath she'd been holding and moved the curtain to let David out. "Good thing you heard him," David said.

"Indeed," she said. There was a moment of silence during which the two looked at each other, never breaking eye contact before rushing to each other and crashing their lips together. Her hands ran through his short hair, pulling him deeper into the kiss as his arms wrapped around her waist, bringing her body closer to his.

Her breath hitched as their bodies came closer together. "David," she breathed as his mouth moved to her neck. "I've missed you so much."

He brought his mouth up to her ear and whispered, "I've missed you, too." He lightly sucked on her earlobe, causing her to moan quietly. She didn't even bother to hold it back. After all this time, it felt so good to be with the man she loved instead of pretending. All those nights she would lie there, nakedly pretending to enjoy it, the guilt of both betraying her love and hurting the kind man she'd married consuming her.

He pressed her against the wall, his mouth hungrily claiming hers once more. She could feel the arousal pooling between her legs, the feeling she'd only have late at night when her husband was traveling and she could lie in bed pretending it was David as her fingers slid inside of her, bringing her to a climax, his name on her lips.

But now he was real and he was there. She didn't have to pretend he was moaning her name in his ear because she could feel his breath, his touch, his very being all around her.

She so wanted to continue. Regina wanted to feel him inside of her after a long year of wishing. But she knew that soon Daniel would be back to check on her. She pulled away from the kiss. "David," she whispered as she looked into his eyes. "We can't do this here. Someone might catch us. Meet me tomorrow in the town square."

He smiled at her despite the discomfort in his pants that would surely not be remedied tonight. They were together again, and that was all that mattered. He pulled her in for one more hard kiss before saying, "I love you, Regina."

She smiled, tears stinging her eyes again. "I love you, too, David," she replied. She kissed him once more before moving to the mirror. She fixed her smudged lipstick before moving to the door. She took one last look at the man she loved before opening it and peeking through, checking to be sure the halls were empty. She then motioned for him to follow, and the two shared a secret smile before heading in different directions: he toward the exit and she toward the ball.

She approached the ballroom and joined the party as if she'd been gone for two minutes rather than half an hour. Immediately she was greeted by her father-in-law. "Regina," he greeted with a smile and an extended hand. "May I have this dance?"

She gave him a small smile and a nod before moving to the floor with him. They began moving about the floor together before he finally spoke again. "Regina, you were absent from the party for quite some time. Need I be concerned for our fair Queen?"

"Of course not," she responded. "I simply became a bit warm and needed some fresh air."

"Hm." The former King tilted his head up a bit, looking down from hooded lids. "Then I assume I should also not be worried about this," he said, moving one hand to thumb a spot on her neck before pulling her hair to cover the bruise.

Her face flushed in a combination of embarrassment and terror. "Sir—"

He chuckled a bit, interrupting her excuse. "Do not be mistaken," he said, his deep voice quietly speaking close to her ear, "I had my fair share of…indiscretions during my time as King. I should assume you will both have yours." A sneer crossed his face. "But if you, in any way, embarrass this family, if you shame the kingdom I worked so hard to build, you _will _be sorry."

She bit her lip nervously as she listened to his final words: "Adultery is a crime in this kingdom. It would be a shame to see the Queen beheaded because she wasn't more careful." The music ended and they parted, the younger of the two so flustered that she almost forgot to curtsy afterward. The former King Anthony then left the floor and Regina turned and left in the other direction, now terribly nervous from their conversation.

* * *

**Please review and feel free to yell at me for making you wait. But I hope it was worth the delay. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, a little secret: when I get hardcore writer's block, it's very often because I'm trying not to write smut. But then writing smut gets me out of it. So it's a problem. I apologize _profusely _for the long-ass wait, but I think I know where I want to go now (for real), so should life slow down in the next month or so, I should be getting chapters up a bit more frequently.**

**Also, if you have ideas for where you want this to go, you can always feel free to tell me to give me a nudge. Prompts are super helpful because even if I don't choose to go that direction, it helps me filter out what I don't want to do. So yeah, enjoy this chapter and let me know your thoughts :)**

* * *

Regina didn't sleep that night. The conversation she'd had with her father-in-law left her stomach in knots. Now she and David weren't just in danger of embarrassment; there was a chance of death.

She turned her head to where her husband was sleeping, his back to her. The guilt she felt was awful. In another life, perhaps they would have been friends. She could have enjoyed his company and not shared his bed. But here she had no such luck. She was bound to the King.

_Til death do us part._

She bolted upright at the thought that flitted through her head. "Regina?" Daniel groaned, rolling over and looking up at her. "Are you alright?"

She slowed her breathing and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine," Regina said, turning to look at him. "Go back to sleep, dear." She stroked his arm as he rolled back over, his breathing quickly regulating, giving her evidence he'd fallen back asleep.

Regina then stole from the bed and put on her robe before leaving the room.

She padded around the castle in her bare feet, ending up outside at her tree. "Rumplestiltskin," she whispered.

"Don't you think it's a bit dangerous to meet out in the open like this?" He asked.

She shook her head, never looking away from the tree. "You and I both know that no one else can see you," she said. Until Rumplestiltskin chose to make his presence known to someone, he was invisible.

"What is it, dearie?"

"My mother's shapeshifting spell," the Queen said, reaching up and picking an apple. "Can you teach me?"

He laughed out loud. "It took your mother months to learn that spell," he said.

"Well then what about just changing my clothes?" She reasoned.

He eyed her. He hadn't shared with the Queen that he knew the future. That he knew what was to come. So he pretended not to know why she needed a disguise. "And why would you need to do that?"

She took a breath. She hated when Rumple constantly asked questions. He never refused to teach her, but for some reason he constantly asked why she needed to learn. "Because I need to make my self unrecognizable in the town square."

"Ahh," he said, feigning realization. "You're going to meet your shepherd."

She clenched her jaw. "Yes."

"That's all I needed to know."

* * *

David walked about the town square as he waited for Regina. He really hated being there; malicious words regarding the Queen were thrown about as if she wasn't even a human being. All he wanted to do was show them how wonderful she was, to shout it loudly through the square. He wanted even more for Regina to not hear the lies spoken of her.

The shepherd felt a delicate hand on his bicep and turned to see a cloaked woman. He furrowed his brow until she looked up at him, that gorgeous smile directed at him. She didn't say a word, only turned to walk away, silently urging him to follow. Remaining several paces behind, he followed her out of the square and into the forest.

She led him through the forest, and for a while, David wondered if she knew where she was going or if she was really Regina. They arrived in a particularly dense bit of forest, and she stopped removing her hood. She lay it out on the ground beside her, and if his gaze hadn't been fixed on her, he would have noticed it was much larger than he thought.

Wide smiles were exchanged and he slowly walked toward her. "Hi," he said.

She laughed slightly. "Hi."

The moments as he walked toward her were agonizingly long, the tension between them undeniable. His eyes raked over her body. She was dressed in clothing he'd never expect her to wear. They weren't fit for a Queen by any stretch of the imagination. Her dress was thin and brown, slightly dirty, and one of her boots had a hole in the toe. But he didn't care. She could be dirty and grimy and he would still love her as much as he always had. When they were finally toe-to-toe, he brought one hand to caress her cheek, running his fingers through her dark hair and leaning in, fluttering light kisses down her jaw, her mouth opened as she let out a sigh, wanting nothing more than for him to take her right there.

He kissed down her neck and then back up, avoiding her lips as Regina's hands grasped at his shirt. He could feel her need. It radiated off of her like sunbeams, and she moaned his name quietly, "David, please."

He pulled back and looked into the brown pools of her eyes. Her pupils were blown wide, as he was sure his were, too. Regina's breathing had become heavier with her arousal. David leaned in slowly, his breath hitching just before their lips finally touched. She whimpered slightly as his other hand paralleled the one already on the side of her neck, his thumbs tracing her jawline as he pulled her deeper into the kiss. Regina's hands clutched the fabric of his shirt. They'd shared kisses the night before, but now she knew they were safe, as she had cast a protection spell on the area before they'd arrived.

Regina's hands released his shirt, instead crawling beneath it to feel his heated skin. He shivered a bit as her fingers graced his abdomen and they both chuckled lightly, their foreheads resting together as they gazed into each other's eyes. The Queen decided to take the lead, pulling him down with her where she had laid out her cloak as a blanket.

He followed. As he trailed kisses from her neck down, his hands moved up her body, tugging the dress up with it. She shivered at the contact as his hands met the waist of her underwear. Before removing the garment, the shepherd moved upward, his own face hovering above that of the woman beneath him. "I love you," he breathed against her lips.

Regina smiled in a way she only did when she was with David. It was a completely genuine smile, far from the ones she formed when in the palace with the King. For the first time since her marriage, she could truly show herself. She got to be Regina Mills, not Queen Regina.

"I love you, too," she husked, leaning up and placing a tender kiss on his lips.

He smiled against her lips before pulling away and sliding her underwear down her legs, placing kisses down her body as he did so. She squirmed beneath his touch before sitting up and pulling him back into a bruising kiss as she untucked his shirt fully and pulled it over his head, craving the feeling of his skin on hers.

She indicated for him to roll over, and he complied, lying on his back as she straddled his body and ground herself against him. David reached his hands up and tugged the dress over her head, revealing her naked body to him. Regina could feel him harden even further under her. Sitting up, he trailed kisses between her breasts until he reached her nipple, flicking his tongue over it before closing his lips around it as he toyed with the other with his thumb and forefinger.

Regina reached between them and began to unfasten his pants as he returned to kiss her lips passionately, his fingers tangling in long, brown locks as he pulled her closer. Lifting his hips, he let her remove the garment. Having moved herself to take his pants off, Regina straddled him again and aligned herself with his member.

Regina sank onto him slowly, both of them groaning with pleasure as she enveloped him in her wet heat. She began to move up and down, simultaneously rocking her hips as she did, creating a delicious friction that had her rapidly approaching a climax. She held him against her, neither one wanting to sacrifice even a bit of contact. Their lips came together as her walls tightened around him, muffling the cry she let come out. And as she clenched around him, he let himself go within her as their kisses became lazier.

Erratic breathing slowed as they remained holding each other, the Queen's face buried in the neck of her lover. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss to her bare shoulder And felt her shiver against him. "Cold?" He asked softly.

"No."

"Regina."

She smiled wider. He knew her too well. "I just want to stay like this forever," she whispered.

"Me too," he replied.

But unfortunately they both knew that soon enough, Regina would have to return to her life as Queen, a life she never wanted for herself but was condemned to nonetheless. That reality was with them, but they sat there, embracing each other as though it wasn't. As if when they pulled away, they wouldn't be leaving each other again. She wouldn't be Queen and he her lost love. Just Regina and David.


	14. Chapter 14

**I got this one written pretty fast! Yay me! It's short, but a lot happens. Enjoy!**

* * *

They dressed quietly, the tension of the truth hanging in the air between them. When she was clothed, she walked over to David and wrapped her arms around his bare torso. His skin was starting to cool, but he didn't care-just wrapped his arms around Regina and kissed her hair. It was only a short moment before he felt water droplets trickling down his chest.

A year ago, he might have asked her what was wrong, but now that question had far too many answers. It was wrong that the only way they could see each other was to sneak away. It was wrong that she was married to a man she didn't love. It was wrong that her mother, the woman who created her, who was supposed to love her unconditionally, never took into account what would make her happy. Everything about their lives was wrong. The only moment anything felt right was when they were together, and even then the happiness was tainted by their circumstances.

So instead of asking what was wrong, he just held her a little tighter.

Regina turned her head to look up at him, her face slightly tear-stained. She moved to stand on her toes and he met her in a gentle kiss, the taste of tears fresh on her lips. When they parted, he smoothed her hair with one hand, the other remaining at her hip. David gently thumbed a tear from her cheekbone and smiled softly. It hadn't been a time for words, but now it was. "We'll figure it out, Regina," he assured her.

"How do you know?" Her voice was meeker than he'd ever heard it, and it broke his heart to hear, but he needed to stay strong.

So he smiled brightly. "Because this is True Love," he said, resting his forehead against hers. "And True Love always conquers."

A soft laugh escaped her lips, his words making the world a bit brighter again. She connected her lips to his again before wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

Unfortunately their time together had to end. Agreeing to meet in the same place in a week, they reluctantly parted ways, she leaving for the palace and him making the journey home.

* * *

"Hello, darling." The King met his wife as she walked in the corridor of the castle. She'd used magic to change her clothing back to her royal garb, and her hair hung in loose curls in front of her shoulders. Daniel leaned in to kiss her and she reciprocated as she always did. "How was your day?" He asked.

Regina smiled falsely. "Uneventful," she lied. "How was yours?"

Daniel sighed. "Unfortunately eventful. I had to cut off trade with King George," he admitted.

Regina furrowed her brow. "What do you mean _had _to?" She asked.

"I was forced to end our trading in favor of a better deal," he said.

"A better deal? What would that be?"

"It's none of your concern," he said, kissing her on the forehead.

"Of course it is. I am Queen. Should anything happen to you, I would have to understand how to run the kingdom."

"If anything should happen to me, our kingdom would crumble thanks to _your_ inability to produce an heir," he bit.

She was taken aback. She may not have loved Daniel, but he'd always been kind to her. He'd claimed to love her. So that comment struck her hard. "Is that really what you think?" She asked, clenching her jaw. "You think that because I haven't given you a child that I'm worthless?"

Daniel hung his head. "Of course not," he breathed, stroking her arms with his hands. "I apologize. I'm just under so much pressure right now," he said. "I'm sorry." He took her hands in his and kissed them.

Regina nodded reluctantly. it would have been so much easier if Daniel was evil. If he hit her or lied to her or made her feel worthless. _Anything _would have been easier than being treated kindly by the man she didn't love. That she could never love because her heart was already someone else's.

She felt selfish.

She was lying to a man who truly cared for her. She pretended to love him because it was convenient. It was easier to stay married to him than leave.

"I'm going to take a bath," she said abruptly.

He furrowed his brow as she retracted her hand, actively recoiling from him. "Is everything alright, my love?" He said.

"Yes. I just need a bath." She then turned and walked to her bathroom.

* * *

"Mother, what's going on?"

The man that stood by the gate made him nervous. His skin wasn't human. Is glittered like a combination of copper and fool's gold. And the grin he wore on his face was unsettling. He was the same man from that night at Regina's castle, but instead of helping him, this time he was using the shepherd. Ruth held tears back as she told the story of her husband's deal with Rumplestiltskin. Her son listened quietly. The Dark One remained by the fence, bored by the amount of time this was taking.

David stalked over to him. "What happens if I don't do it?"

Rumple smiled sadistically. "You lose everything. Your home, your land...your love."

David clenched his jaw. "You don't lay a hand on her," he threatened.

"Too late, dearie!" Rumplestiltskin taunted. "She's been learning dark magic."

"No," David said. "Not after everything her mother-"

An unnerving laugh sent shivers up David's spine, effectively stopping his words.

"Her mother was the reason she _needed _magic, dearie!"

The younger man shook his head. "No," he protested. "She would never." He began to walk away.

"She's been married for a year," Rumple called, stopping David. "Why is it she isn't with child yet?" David furrowed his brow but didn't turn around. "Perhaps she's barren, yes, but _I _know the real reason."

David hated the way this man was talking about Regina. "She wouldn't."

Rumple squinted his eyes as if trying to understand the shepherd. "You see," he said, "You keep saying that she wouldn't, that she couldn't, but I know the truth, dearie, and no matter how many times you deny it, it won't change the truth."

He was shocked. Their entire lives, Regina had refused to learn magic. She hated it. And now she was learning it from _this _man?

"Let's make a deal," Rumple said. "I do _love _making deals." He hopped forward a bit to where the shepherd was standing. "You complete this task; I'll stop teaching her magic."

* * *

"Rumplestiltskin!"

Regina couldn't pinpoint her emotions. But at the moment, she was livid. When he appeared, she didn't even give him a chance to speak. "You _liar!_" She shouted. "You said this wouldn't happen!"

"Well dearie, every curse can be broken," he countered.

"But you knew I couldn't afford for that to happen!" She shouted, tears stinging her eyes.

"It's not really my problem what you can afford," he reasoned. "I gave you a solution to the problem you presented." She tried to protest, but Rumple was a step ahead. "You see, your majesty, when you ask for a favor like that, perhaps you should pay a bit more attention to the fine print." The Queen furrowed her brow and the Dark One continued. "What, dearie, has the ability to break any curse and transcend realms?"

Regina's hand flew to her mouth. "You mean...?"

"That child growing inside of you is the product of True Love."

* * *

**Please let me know what you think! :)**


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